Desistance and Prisoner Re-entry: A Real-time Perspective

In the current paper, I explore the state of desistance from crime and prisoner re-entry, primarily in Scotland. As a criminology graduate recently released from a long prison sentence, I gather and analyse the thoughts, emotions, and experiences of the prison to community living transition to contrast and compare my experience with relevant academic literature through the lens of convict criminology. Furthermore, I draw upon relevant fi rst-hand knowledge of desistance and re-entry as each occurs to assess the current rehabilitative climate in Scotland. I discuss the notion of “judicial rehabilitation” and the eff ects of a criminal record in modern society, questioning the impact of these subtle forms of punishment upon those leaving custody. In doing so, I question whether more could be done to catalyse and sustain these transitions in the hope that society can better enable people to desist and eventually lead fulfi lling crime-free lives upon their re-entry.